Kristiina Ojuland, author. − Mr President, despite the fact that the Socialists are ignoring this resolution in this House, the Liberals think it is very important because the blatantly restrictive situation in Tibet, in particular in Ngaba county, has this year driven ten Tibetans to self-immolation. These desperate acts of protest, which have been provoked by the increasingly suppressive policies of Beijing, require a global diplomatic intervention.

There is no time to lose. We therefore call for the human rights situation in Tibet to be addressed with the President of the People’s Republic of China at the upcoming G20 Summit on 3 and 4 November in Cannes. I trust that President Barroso and President Van Rompuy will convey our unequivocal concern to President Hu Jintao. Human rights are not a matter of convenience but of principle.

The High Representative and the EEAS have been tasked with raising the human rights issue at the next EU-China Summit and constantly monitor the human rights situation in China. Every opportunity must be used to remind Beijing of our ceaseless concern over the ongoing human rights violations in Tibet.

The Chinese authorities may place fire extinguishers on the streets to prevent self-immolations, but they are unable to smother the flame of freedom in the hearts of the people of Tibet and silence their call for meaningful autonomy.

President. − Mr Silvestris, we are all subject to the same rules and I also made it absolutely clear to Ms De Keyser because she raised the blue card. I understood she would be asking Ms Ojuland a question; that was not the case. So I just made it absolutely clear that the blue-card procedure should not be used to make a point of order.

Anneli Jäätteenmäki, on behalf of the ALDE Group. – Mr President, the fact that several Tibetans have set themselves on fire tells us about the desperate situation in that region.

The people are protesting against the Chinese authorities because the Chinese are preventing them from practising their religion. Overall, the Chinese authorities should change their policy towards the Tibetans, so that this is in accordance with human rights. Only then can a meaningful dialogue between the Chinese and the elected Tibetan Government emerge and a non-violent solution be reached.

I realise that the European Union’s power to influence China’s policies is limited. Nevertheless, it is crucial that the EU stand firmly behind universal human rights. I urge the High Representative to keep this in mind in future meetings with Chinese representatives, including in discussions on trade issues.

Raül Romeva i Rueda (Verts/ALE). - Mr President, actually we were told during the Olympic Games that the situation in China, and particularly in Tibet, would improve after these events. The truth is that this has not happened, and the situation right now in Tibet is at least the same as, if not worse than, it was before. The example we are now putting on the table – self-immolation – is the result of frustration at the lack of dialogue and the lack of willingness on the part of the Chinese to improve the situation.

This is why we in the international community have to speak out and remind all those who promised that the situation would improve after the Olympic Games that this has not happened. I was shocked when I saw the images of eight monks and one nun who self-immolated, but I also want to stress that there are still 300 monks whose whereabouts and condition are not known. So there are plenty of things that we have to ask the Chinese authorities, and the only way we can do this is by using this Chamber, this opportunity to show our concern about all these issues.

Charles Tannock (ECR). - Mr President, there are shocking reports now of these eight monks and one nun self-immolating in China’s Sichuan province. In each case, seven of which have occurred in the last month, the self-immolation was undertaken in protest at China’s restrictive policies in Tibet, and in particular over the 300 monks who were taken away from the Kirti monastery in April. Tibetans are still without any news of their current whereabouts and well-being.

With the Dalai Lama now in exile for more than 45 years, the EU must urge the Government of the People’s Republic of China not only to provide information on the whereabouts of the missing monks but also, in the longer term, to take measures to ensure that the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the six million Tibetan people is protected and preserved.

We urge the Chinese authorities to ensure that those Tibetans who have survived their self-immolations are now allowed to recover in hospital and receive the medical treatment that they require, to take steps to lift the siege on the Ngaba region, removing the heavy security presence in the area and the military personnel posted around the Kirti monastery, and, lastly and most importantly, to suspend the implementation of Beijing’s repressive religious control regulations.

Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the Commission. − Mr President, EU-China relations have developed positively during 2011. Our strategic partnership has strengthened in many areas. However, there are still sensitive issues where open disagreements occur from time to time, and Tibet is certainly one of these.

Since the unrest in Tibet in March 2008, this House has discussed the evolving situation on many occasions. While the EU does not question that Tibet is an integral part of China, at the same time we are greatly concerned about the lack of progress on the ground, as is illustrated by the recent distressing cases of self-immolation of ten monks and nuns.

The EU raised its concerns regarding Tibet at the last EU-China human rights dialogue on 16 June. The EU focused on increasing legal restrictions on religious practice in Tibet, limitations on the teaching of the Tibetan language, the ongoing official campaign against Tibetan intellectuals and cultural figures, the harsh measures taken against any Tibetan attempting to protest against official policies and the impact on Tibetan culture of the mass forced resettlement of nomads. Furthermore, the EU expressed its anxiety regarding the situation at the Kirti monastery, and in particular at the self-immolation of Phuntsok Jarutsang, and called on the Chinese authorities to allow all Tibetans, including monks, to exercise their cultural and religious rights without hindrance, and to refrain from the use of force against peaceful protest.

The Chinese authorities dismissed the EU’s concerns and emphasised that Chinese policies in Tibet had led to economic development and enormous benefits. China claimed that the series of self-immolations is instigated by forces that ‘want to destabilise Tibet’.

While taking note of the Chinese position, the EU can only conclude that the growing number of Tibetan monks choosing to take such tragic steps demonstrates the profound depth of feeling among many Tibetans that their religious, linguistic and cultural rights are not being respected.

The EU acknowledges the priority the Chinese leadership gives to maintaining territorial integrity and economic growth in minority areas such as Tibet. However, as the recent tragic events show all too clearly, economic development is not a panacea. We therefore strongly encourage China to create conditions which will allow the Tibetan people to fully exercise their political, religious and cultural rights in line with the Chinese constitution and the Chinese legal provisions on local autonomy.

Furthermore, we hope that the dialogue between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government – which, regrettably, has been frozen – will resume soon, since we strongly believe that only this dialogue can lead to positive results, by aiming at resolving outstanding issues in a peaceful and sustainable way for Tibet.

Finally, I want to reassure this Chamber that the EU will continue to follow up this important matter in all other appropriate meetings with the Chinese authorities, including the next session of the EU-China human rights dialogue.